Lijjat, the cooperative of India

New Delhi: Cooperative societies have played a significant role in the development of the Indian economy, besides empowering the women. The overwhelming success of cooperative societies can be gauged by the fact that 97 per cent of Indian villages claim to have a cooperative society run by its own villagers or by the government.

The Indian co-operative society model

An Indian co-operative society business model involves individuals of the same strata united to promote their common economic interest. It aims at betterment of the members and not on making profits. This model is mostly common among needy people who have the urge to stand on their own legs.

Unlike a company, cooperative is an organization where all the members are the stake holders and the profit is split equally among them.

The Success story of Lijjat:

Lijjat Papad is much more than a household name in India. Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad has epitomized the overwhelming story of “rags to riches”. Starting with a meager loan of Rs 80 in 1959, the cooperative registers an annual sale of a staggering Rs 301 crore now.

The unique selling proposition of the cooperative is its assurance of quality at a reasonable price. The cooperative has always ensured that every operation runs smoothly. Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad members have always earned a comfortable profit and its agents get their due share.

Gandhian simplicity and ethical workplace values have spring-boarded to the zenith and made it a model for other aspiring cooperatives.

The modus operandi

A bevy of women goes to the Lijjat branch to knead dough, which is then collected by another group of women for rolling it into papads. When the first group of women comes in the morning, they taste the previous day’s production and the quality gets automatically checked. After the quality check, another set of women pack the tasted papads for distribution.

Global presence

Lijjat has spread its wings beyond India. Exporting the product to various countries including United States, the United Kingdom, the Middle East countries, Singapore, Hong Kong and Holland, the company has clocked a turnover of Rs 10 crore. Though the cooperative does not export on its own , recognized professional merchant exporters handle the business. At present, 30 to 35 per cent of the production of Lijjat Papad is being exported.

Recipe behind the success

Sharing of power and the Sarvodaya philosophy has helped the organization achieve such stardom. The authority decides the manner in which profit or loss should be apportioned among the members. A committee of 21 members manages the affairs of the institution. However, all decisions, major or minor, are based on consensus among members. Any single member’s objection can nullify a decision.

The cooperative started by seven women on a terrace of a building in Girgaum in Mumbai has scripted a success story because the members were pledged bound to share the destiny of each other. The tradition is still prevalent.

The craft of distilling is very ancient and recipes have been handed down generations. To me, food and spirits are very culture-centric and each dish or drink is an experience of this culture and have a lot of story to it.

The aim is for the curated audience to meet curated brands and learn about their stories. We consciously wanted to create a small, well-curated festival that encourages such conversations amongst the visitors," Prakash elaborated. Pixabay

Every bottle of alcohol has a tale to tell and to celebrate this, over 20 international masters, distillers, mixologists and story tellers will gather in Mumbai over the weekend on a platform that celebrates the craft of distillers and distilleries. It will also be a rite of passage for the new consumer who is open to experiencing luxury beverages that are a product of passion and commitment and are produced in small batches, without any compromise on quality.

“Every bottle has a tale, waiting to be shared – of its founder, of the distiller, of the wood in which it lay, of the people who built the spirit, of the mixologist who decided to `play’ with it and more. Listen, learn and celebrate the people behind the spirits,” Keshav Prakash, who began his career as an advertising filmmaker and then travelled the world to discover the world of fine spirts, told IANS of The Vault Biennale at the Mahalakshmi Race Course.

“The craft of distilling is very ancient and recipes have been handed down generations. To me, food and spirits are very culture-centric and each dish or drink is an experience of this culture and have a lot of story to it.

“For example, making whiskey is a tradition native to Scotland, much like rum to the Caribbean, Mezcal to the Mexico and so on. These are parts of their values and teachings handed over from generation to generation, with much love and celebration, making it an intrinsic part of a living culture,” Prakash explained.

will also be a rite of passage for the new consumer who is open to experiencing luxury beverages that are a product of passion and commitment and are produced in small batches, without any compromise on quality. Pixabay

The event is open to only 400 aficionados each day.

“We envision two kinds of visitors at the Biennale – one who are newly immersing themselves in fine spirits and others who know their single malt, gin, whiskey etc. The aim is for the curated audience to meet curated brands and learn about their stories. We consciously wanted to create a small, well-curated festival that encourages such conversations amongst the visitors,” Prakash elaborated.